The IND Derby (Grade 3)- $300.000 Purse
IND- For Three Year Olds
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Dirt
July 5, 2025

The Golden Age got off to a hot start with Mb Stables after the trainer picked him up in private sales, winning a couple of derby preps, including the SA Derby. He was chosen as one of the trainer’s three entries for the KYD, which in itself says a lot. However, the KYD did not go well, nor did his race a month later. So now, The Golden Age was sent to the IND Derby, a great spot for him to be in if he looked to get back to his winning ways. He’d be our pick to win, and was the second choice on the board, overall. The gelding would make today his day to get back into the winner’s circle, taking the IND Derby by a length. Mb Stables is the winning trainer and completes his sweep of the races I covered this weekend. It’s his third win the race, and the first for jockey D Davis. Congratulations to them! The time of the win was 1:40.85, and that is a new stake record. Let’s look at how it went down now:

(1/4 Mile- :23.08)- Small Things is out in front early for Mb Stables, having the rest of the field cleared by about a length and a half. Classical and Red Font battle it our for second, for D J C Racing Stables and John Henry respectively, while Williams9’s Decal is within a length to their inside. It’s close right behind them as well, with the eventual winner from Mb Stables, The Golden Age, being fifth on the rail while being within three lengths. Candy Fear Party runs evenly with them for Martyparty, and even the trailer, Prairie Eclipse is within a length of him.

(½ Mile- :46.75)- We move down the backstretch with Small Things continuing to hold an uncontested lead by the same length and a half margin. Red Font gets the better of Classical, taking clear possession of second and is in a good striking position at the top of the turn. Meanwhile, The Golden Age would pick off a couple of spots over this portion of the race as he continued to run on the rail before moving over a lane to potentially split the top two horses in the turn. That would be made possible thanks to his pass of Decal, a horse that was already looking defeated. Classical is fourth, and even though he had not made a push yet, he still had time to do so. The fading Decal was next, and about to be passed by Candy Fear Party. The post time favorite, Prairie Eclipse, is last, but only about four lengths from the lead.

(Top of Stretch, 1.5F To Go)- Within the turn, Red Font would look to take over the top spot from Small Things, but the biggest move was coming from The Golden Age. D Davis would take advantage of the space to between the top two and would thank his stablemate for his work at the front as he took over the lead approaching the top of the stretch. Once he got there, he had not only put away Small Things about also pulled out to about a length lead on Red Font. His biggest concern now was Candy Fear Party, who was looking great along the outside and gaining ground quickly. He’d seemingly have enough time to make up the two more lengths that was needed. Classical was done, dropping to fifth. Prairie Eclipse had not made a move, but his cause was not helped when the tiring Decal cut in front of him on the rail, causing A R Rodriguez to have to quickly alter his horse’s path.

(Finish- 1:40.85)- There was still a lot more work to do for The Golden Age in the stretch, given the valiant charge by Candy Fear Party. D Davis made sure his ride continued to run strongly all the way to the wire, and The Golden Age would do exactly that, reminding everyone of who he was when he won the SA Derby. Candy Fear Party is beaten by a length in second while Red Font ran gamely as well to the end to place third. These three broke away from the rest of the competition, with Prairie Eclipse taking fourth. The back three are Small Things, Classical, and Decal.

About The Winner- The Golden Age, trained by Mb Stables and ridden to victory by D Davis, is a three-year-old gelding by Heffalump Hanny and is out of Dalaska. He was bred by Jive Inc in New Mexico as a first quarter two-year-old and was acquired by Mb Stables in January for $145.000 in private sales. Congratulations to the connections! The win is his fifth in 12 starts, his third stake win and second graded win. His career earnings are now $849.960.

Track: Fast
Time: :23  :46³  1:10⁴  1:40⁴

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 1 – 6 Paid 29.10
$1 Trifecta: 1 – 6 – 5 Paid 140.40

Scratched: Scorched

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES